In just a few short days I'll be hopping a plane to San Diego, headed for the nerd Mecca that is Comic-Con. It'll be my first time there, and the fulfillment of a dream I've been holding on to for some twenty years. The event has changed a lot in that time, especially for those of us who grew up immersed in the comic book world of the Uncanny X-men, Batman, and Spider-Man. Comics are just a small part of the annual convention now, taken over by pop culture media of all types. Whether it's anime, board games, Cosplay, toys, video games, or movies, Comic-Con has a place for it, and that doesn't leave much room for comic books anymore. Sad, but true. Comic-Con is now the place where every major studio turns up to show off their biggest upcoming trophy flicks, which ironically are almost all based on comics. In that way, the comic book fanboy is just as relevant as ever, if not more so.
But what I've also discovered is that there's simply too much going on to try and see everything. And since I have yet to experience my own personal Clone Saga, it's impossible for me to be at two, three, or four different places at once. So it's about making choices, and finding the balance between the movies that need to be seen, and the other things which just look like a lot of fun. Fortunately, nearly every major studio film is going to have a presence at Comic-Con this year, and after cobbling together a schedule I've managed to pull together what I'm most excited about. 
After Wednesday night's TV pilot sneak previews, the action really kicks off on Thursday, July 12th. The big highlight of the day for many will be The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn panel which will be taking place at 12:45pm in the massive Hall H. Will I be there? Absolutely not, because the Twi-hards are no doubt already waiting in line for what should be new footage from the upcoming finale, as well as a Q&A with some of the stars. I'll be looking forward to The Expendables 2: Real American Heroes panel with Sly Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jean Claude Van Damme. Maybe they'll break out into an impromptu battle royale for action hero supremacy? One can only hope. Also, Walt Disney Studios is hosting a Q&A with Tim Burton about his upcoming stop-motion film, Frankenweenie; as well as a special look at Oz the Great and Powerful with director Sam Raimi. What has me hyped, though, is the Wreck-It Ralph segment, featuring John C. Reilly, the always risque Sarah Silverman, and director Rich Moore. That should be wild. Also, Jackie Chan will be showing off his latest martial arts flick, CZ12. Can't miss that. 
Friday is all about Sony, and they'll have Hall H packed for a whopping two straight hours to talk about three big time sci-fi action flicks. The first is Len Wiseman's Total Recall remake, and the director will be bringing along stars Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, and Bryan Cranston. One of my favorite actors and favorite directors will be on hand for the Looper panel, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Rian Johnson presenting what I think is the most promising film of the upcoming season. Looper stars JGL as a hired gun in the present who takes out targets sent to him from the future, only to be thrown for a loop when an older version of himself is next on his hit list. The biggest mystery seems to be swirling around Elysium, Neill Blomkamp's eagerly awaited follow-up to District 9. We're only just starting to see images from the politically charged film, but some first look footage is expected to be revealed. Matt Damon and Jodie Foster will join Blomkamp and producer Simon Kinberg on the panel, and I expect there will be a ton of questions for this one. 
Saturday is always the biggest day for Comic-Con, and lining up early for entry into Hall H is going to be a must. I'm prepared for some serious butt sores as the epic day starts early with Quentin Tarantino and the cast of Django Unchained on hand to show off some new clips and answer questions. You never know what the heck Tarantino is going to say from one moment to the next, so this should be worth the price of admission alone. Open Road Films takes the floor next for two very different movies that I'm quite amped up for. The first is End of Watch, the latest cop drama from David Ayer and starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena. That will be followed up by Silent Hill: Revelation 3D, based on the popular horror video game franchise and a sequel to 2006's surprise hit film. Adelaide Clemens(X-men Origins: Wolverine) and Kit Harington(Game of Thrones) will be on hand for that one. 
We've seen precious little from Zack Snyder's Man of Steel, but it'll be a big part of Warner Brothers' and Legendary Pictures' blockbuster showcase. We'll also be getting looks at Peter Jackson's The Hobbit, and Guillermo Del Toro's robots vs. monsters flick, Pacific Rim. There's also been rumors swirling that we may see something of Legendary's planned Godzilla relaunch, from director Gareth Edwards. This being Warner Brothers, you have to expect there will be plenty of unexpected surprises, and maybe even some announcements of projects we have yet to hear anything about. Maybe even Justice League? 
While Marvel is technically bringing only Iron Man 3 to Comic-Con this year, does anybody expect that to be all that's discussed? Of course not. Robert Downey Jr. and the cast of the film are expected to be on hand, along with Marvel President Kevin Feige to give an inside look at Iron Man 3, and the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We'll probably get a confirmation on Marvel's "secret" 2014 film, which many expect to be Guardians of the Galaxy, and maybe even some announcements on The Avengers 2. Personally, I'm hoping for a Black Panther reveal. Give me that and I can go home happy. The night, and my Comic-Con experience concludes with Kevin Smith hosting his umpteenth annual Q&A event, which will have the chatty and controversial director spouting off on...well, pretty much everything. If all that sounds like too much for one guy to handle, it's because it probably is! None of this includes all the random things that I'm equally jazzed over, like the Marvel vs. Capcom 3 tournaments, The Walking Dead panel, the Spartacus: War of the Damned panel, the comic book panels, and all the pop culture icons that I'm dying to meet. Not to mention all the exclusive Comic-Con memorabilia that is going to give my bank account a serious workout and threatens to make my little man cave even more crowded than it already is. What's important is that my first Comic-Con experience be fun, so whether or not I get to all of the things mentioned above is irrelevant. I'll do my best to share everything with you all here on this site, and if any of our readers will be attending, please let me know. We'd love to get your input, capture your experiences, and maybe even meet up while there!
